Draught beer controlling unit



6, 0- v F. c. BRISTOL 2,210,164

DRAUGHT BEER CONTROLLING UNIT Filed June 23, 1959 T 2 g i H I I I 4 I i J 4,3 .L r n. 5 r 9 a 7 6 5 M 50 M arrow Patented Aug. 6, 1940 UNITD STATES DRAUGHT BEER CONTROLLING UNIT;

Fred 0. Bristol, Chicago, 111., assignor to Her-ma M. Gumbin, Chicago, Ill. 4

Application June 23, 1939, Serial Nogzsases' 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a draught beer controlling unit.

The object of the invention is to provide, in

a manner as hereinafter set forth, a'unit of the class referred to forinterposition in a beer dispensing line and acting to maintain an even or uniform beer on the dispensing of the latter.

A further object of the invention is to provide,

in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a unit of the class referred to actingto overcome wild beer conditions on the dispensing of the beer,

whereby the vending of the draught beer is simplified and free of waste at a very nominal cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide,

in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a unit of the class referred to for interposition between the cooling coils and faucet of a beer dispensing line to overcome the formation of air pockets in the beer thereby providing a smooth beer and which by virtue of the beer pressure is forced along directly to the faucet and dispensed in an even or uniform condition.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner as hereinafter setforth, a unit for struction, strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efficient in its use, readily assembled, automatic in its action, convenientlyinterpositioned in a beer dispensing line in juxtaposition to the opening or faucet of such line, and inexpensivevto manufacture. v

Embodying the objects aforesaid and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention conrespect to a beer dispensing line, the faucet and cooling coils of the line being shown in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2, Figurel', and v Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 1.

With reference to the drawing the unit 'in cludes an open top and closed bottom housing I preferably of flared contour. There is associated the purpose referred to which is simple in its conin accordance with this invention installed with with the housing I a removable closure 2 for the,

open top of the housing I. Preferably theilatter will be of flared contour, but it is to be understood that the contour of the housing I may be as desired. The housing'l-in proximity to its upper end is formed with an intake opening 3 forgthe beer asit'leave s the coil 4 of the dispensing line 5 Integral with the outer surface of the housing l is a laterally extending tubular nipple 6 having its inner diameter corresponding to the diameter of the opening 3. The inner 0 face of 'the'nipple 6 forms an outward continua' tion of the wall of the opening 3. The nipple 6 is peripherally threaded as at 1' and a suitable. means suchasindicated at 8 is employed for coupling the line 9 to the nipple 6. The housing 15 i diametrically opposite the opening 3 is formed with an opening 9 of materially less diameter than I the "opening 3. Formed integralwith the outer surface of the housing I diametrically opposite the nipple 6 is a laterallyextending peripherally threaded tubular nipple Ill. The inner face of the nipple if) is formed of a portion of uniform diametergfas'indicated at H and a flared portion as indicated at l2. The diameter of the portion ll corresponds to the diameter of the opening 9 and it forms a continuation of the wall of said open-i ing 9: Thefiared portion l2 merges into the outer 1 end of the portion I l and terminates on the outer end of the nipple ID. The largest diameter of the flared portion I2 is less than the diameter of the opening 3. The upper terminal portion 13 of the housing I is of greater thicknessthan theremaining portion of thebody of the housing. There is formed integral with the portion l3 on the outer marginal part thereof a vertically dis- 35 posed annular flange l4. That part of the por-' tion 13 inwardly of the flange l4 provides a seat l5 for a purpose to be referred to.- The housing lat its upper end is formed with a plurality of radially disposed spaced lugs l6 formed with ver- 1 tically disposed threaded openings H in proximity to their outer ends. The outlet or faucet of the line 5 is indicated at It, which is carried by part l9ofthe'line 5 and such part I9 is coupled to the. nipple ill by any suitable means, such as indicated'at 20. ThefaucetIB is arranged in close proximity to the nipple [0, if desired, however'the faucet l8 may be connected directly to the. nipple l0.. i

The closure 2 not onlyconstitutes means for closing the upper end of the housing I, butalso provides a Support for a valve structure 2t and a suspension for the valve 22 of the structure Zl and for, a floatv controlled operating mechanism 23 for thevalve 22. The closure 2 consists of a circular body part 24 of arcuate contour in diametrioal section. The body part 24 in its lower end is formed with an outwardly directed annular enlargement 25 having an annular flange 2B. The enlargement 25, when the closure 2. is in position is adapted to be surrounded below its flange 23 by the flange I4. There is mounted on the seat I5 an annular sealing gasket 26 upon which the enlargement 25 bears when the closure 2 is in its closing position relative to the housing I. The body part 24 of closure 3 has formed integral with its top surface radially disposed arms 21 formed with vertical openings 28 in proximity to their outer ends. The arms 21 are to align with the lugs Hi and the openings 11 are to align with the openings 28. Extending through the openings 28 and threadably engaging with the openings-Zl are holdfast means in the form of headed screws 29 acting to connect the closure 2 and the housing E and clamp the enlargement 25 against the gasket 26*.

Theclosure 2 is formed with an enlargement 3B and also with a vertically disposed threaded opening 3B which extends through the enlargement 33 and the body part 24 and communicates with the interior of the closure 2. Threadably engaging with the wall of the opening 3i is a peripherally threaded tubular stem 32 of a valve seat forming block 33. The lower end of the stem 32 forms a valve seat 34 for the upper end of the valve 22. The block 33 has a vertically disposed threaded opening 35 terminating at its 7 lower end in a tapered valve seat 36 for a needle valve 3i which threadably engages with the wall of the opening 35. The block 33 has a horizontally disposed air outlet 38 which leads from the seat 36. The block 33 is formed with a vertical opening 33 forming a continuation of the inner face of the stem 32 and leading to the seat 36. Integral with the inner face of the body part 24 of the closure 2 is a pair of depending spaced parallel hangers 43 between which extends one end of a lever arm 4|. The'latter is pivotally connected to the hangers 40, as at 42 and also pivotally connected, as at 43 to the lower end of the valve 22. The lever 4| is somewhat torsionally twisted audit is formed integral with a globular float 44, as at 35. The valve 22 has extending-from its upper end a stem 46 which is slidably mounted in the stem 32.

The housing I provides a chamber 47 for receiving the beer from the coil 4 through the means of the nipple 6 and intake 3. Arranged within the chamber 41, as well as extending into and secured to the nipple H! is a beer conducting-off element 48 of a form to provide for restricted discharge of the beer from the chamber 41. The

element 48 is in the form of a coiled tube 49 having its inner diameter materially less than the diameter of the intake 3 and the inner diameter of the dispensing line 5. The tube has a portion thereof, indicated at 50 extended through the opening 9 and into the nipple ID. The outer end of the portion 58 is flared to conform to the part IQ of the inner face of the nipple Ill. The part 58 smoothly fits the wall of the opening 9 and the inner face of the nipple ID. The float 44 is arranged between the coils of the tube 49.

The float M, the valve 22, the needle valve 31 which is a regulator and the block 33 coact to provide an automatic air release.

As'the beer leaves the cooling coils: it passes through the large opening 3 into the chamber 41 and that by virtue of the automatic air releasebe'erarrangement air pockets are dispensed with, therefore keeping the beer smooth, and by virtue of the-normal beer pressure, the beer that is smooth is forced along through the restricted tube 49 directly to the beer faucet, maintaining an even beer, or in other words, this arrangement tends to dispense with wild beer conditions so that the vending of beer becomes simplified and free of waste at a very nominal cost.

The valve 22 is a tip point valve and acts as a release for the pressure built up when the fluid enters the chamber 4'1 and-for the discharge of any air pockets which might remain in the upper portion of the chamber 4'! and thereby prevent complete filling with liquid.

The valve 37 is a utility valve that is kept open at all times during the drawing of beer, and is employed so that when a barrel of beer is empty it can be closed down preventing the escape of carbonic gas. It is an added precaution which enables the bartender or whoever is handling the beer to turn it off in his coil box without going to the point where the main valves are located to shutoff such valves.

What I, claim is:

1. In a draught beer controller, means providing an upstanding closed beer settling chamber and a pair of oppositely extending laterally disposed spaced nipples in proximity to the top of said chamber, one of said nipples being of greater inner diameter than the other constituting an intake for said chamber and adapted to be connected to and permanently open into the cooling coil portion of a beer dispensing line, the other one of said nipples adapted to be connected to the discharge portion of the beer dispensing line, and a restricted upstanding coiled tubular element suspended within said chamber for conducting off the beer received therein, said element having a permanently open lower end disposed in the lower portion of said chamber constituting an intake for said element and a flared upper terminal portion constituting an outlet for said element adapted to permanently communicate with the discharge portion of such line and positioned within and disposed at the outer end of the nipple of smallest inner diameter, and said element having a substantially laterally disposed upper part extending from said chamber into the nipple of smallest inner diameter and merginginto said flared upper terminal portion, the inner diameter of said element at its intake end being less than the inner diameter of the nipple of greatest inner diameter, the inner'diameter ofthe said part being less than the inner diameter of the nipple of greatest diameter.

2. In a draught beer controlling means, an open top and closed bottom container providing a beersettling chamber formed near its top with a permanently open intake, a closure for closing the open top of the container, a coiled tubular beer conducting ofi element providing a restricted passage for the beer suspended within said chamberiand having'a lower open end forming an intake for said element below the intake for said chamber and an open upper end terminal portion providing an outlet for said element, said chamber'having an upper outlet providing an extension disposed exteriorly thereof and said open upper end terminal portion of said coiled element leading into said outlet extension, a vertically movable'float within said chamber confined by coilsfof'said coiled element, and an air releasing means depending into said chamber, said means having its operation controlled by said. float.

3."In a draught beer controlling means, an

extended from said chamber and merging into said upper terminal portion, a vertically movable float within said chamber confined by coils of said element, and an air releasing means carried by said closure depending into said chamber, engageable by, free of connection to and having its operation controlled by said float, the said air releasing means including a pivoted lever member disposed within said chamber having an end portion permanently bearing on the upper end 10 of the float. FRED C. BRISTOL. 

